Reclaiming What Was Lost: Siblings Of The Sword
Consoling Scorn Midoriko was sitting in a corner of the cafe room, silently fuming. She was not happy with the fact that she could not see Kibou. Shortly after the Kurosaki had gotten introduced to their rooms, the cafe had cleared out most of its people. Juushin, having discussed their next plan with Tereya and Tokoshiki, had them depart as well before vanishing himself, each one going to their own devices. Sometime later, Midoriko herself had come into the empty cafe room, apparently still upset by Juushin's stern words... ...and now, here she was, sitting in a corner and brooding. But soon, she would not be alone. A spiritual presence could be felt at the metallic door entrance, its owner about to open the door with seemingly no regard for who was inside. Midoriko looked up to see who it was, for she could feel the power. "Who is it?" The door was pushed open. "Me." Juushin's voice came to her ears. Calmly, he stepped in, shuttiing the door behind him. "What do you want?" Midoriko asked, rather harshly. "Just getting myself some tea..." Juushin denied himself to be phased by such a harsh tone. "Though I can never decide whether it's better hot or cold..." He walked over to a cabinet, opening it and reaching inwards. "Would you care for some?" "I'll pass." She said coldly. "You sure?" Juushin pressured, though careful not to press too hard. "I'd be kind enough to fix you some." He took out a solo cup, however, grabbed up a pitcher, and poured himself a good amount of warm tea into the cup. "I'll pass." She repeated. "Suit yourself.." Juushin shrugged lightly, setting the pitcher back into the cabinet. He picked up the cup, slowly walking towards her while holding it in both hands. "Though, I also came to speak with you about what happened ealier...miss..." He trailed off, frowning. "We never did get a proper introduction. Could you tell me your name?" "Midoriko Megami Kurosaki." She replied. staring at the ceiling. Walking past her, he took a seat opposite of her, in front of her. He took a sip of his tea before responding. "Ah, yes... Midoriko, I don't know what connection you have with this Kyashi and Kibou, but I can safely assume you're very close. It's a decision I myself don't like making, preventing someone from seeing their loved ones..." "Then why are you?" Midoriko asked, rudeness and annoyance ringing in her voice. "I am a Vizard, and much more composed than my mother. Killing officers who are in my way would be child's play." Juushin frowned. "I understand that. I know you have power in you, but I also know that those soldiers out there won't make the same mistake twice. They've seen the same power come from your mother and father. This isn't some kind of movie where all of your enemies are nothing more than targets to be cut down. They will find a way around that power in order to get to you, once they get the chance." He closed his eyes. "Besides... with things as they are, they could've been captured already... or killed off. Can you truly assure me that they are safe and sound right now?" "Yes." Midoriko said, her voice ringing. "Injiki is as strong as Tou-san and Kyashi is strong too. It'll tale more than guns to kill them." But Juushin simply shook his head contradictingly. "If that were true, there would've been much more of a ruckus when your family first approached me and the resistance fighters. That battalion would've been decimated, and those two would've been standing right there waiting for you. Were they?" Midoriko's eyes glowed a deep crimson. "No." She said slowly. "That does not mean they're dead. They probably kept out of it to keep Kibou safe." "I'm not saying they're dead..." Juushin's voice now had a pleading tone to it, as well as the look he gave her. "But they could also be captured, headed off to prison. You should understand how ruthless these soldiers are, and how blindly they'll pursue their quarry." There was no fear when he saw the change in Midoriko's eyes - only the slightest bit of hurt. "I still want to get the fuck out of here." Midoriko replied. "I'm not going to rest until I've seen Kibou. And this place makes me feel trapped anyway." Now Juushin's eyes narrowed. "Are you going to let your selfish desires get in the way in a time like this?" He criticized sharply. "Are you going to put yourself in front of the protection of innocent lives? How can you be so narrow-minded?!" He followed up with another sip of his tea. "I used to be worse." Midoriko smirked. "That's not something to be proud off, child." Juushin retorted. Then, he paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. "Even if they were safe... what makes you think your actions won't jeopardize that safety? Or have you forgotten that the heat of battle can be unpredictable? Have you already forgotten what nearly became of your mother?" "No, I merely got over it faster than them." Midoriko replied harshly, the glow not fading from her eyes. "I had something to move me forward." "Well, that very same thing could happen to your beloved Kibou once you run that risk." Juushin continued. "You won't be seeing your precious Kibou anymore. You'll be seeing a lifeless corpse. Can you really live with that?" Midoriko's eyes widened and she turned to look at Juushin. "No." Was all she said. "I thought not." Upon his next statement, the bitterness in Juushin's tone faded, replaced by a look of assurance. "But rest assured, when the time comes, we'll take that opportunity to rescue them. I save the people I can." "Fine.." Midoriko murmured. "I'm counting on you...to keep Kibou alive at the very least." "Thank you, Midoriko." Juushin said, not bothering to hide the gratitude in his tone. After taking a sip from the tea once more. "I won't let you down. Any of you." He arose from his seat, placing a now-empty cup down on the table. "I'm glad we had this talk. I hope you've learned a little about me just as I have about you." After dusting himself off, he turned to walk away from her in the direction of the door. "I learned you're not a complete jerk." He stopped his movement, just before he reached the door. "And I've learned that you're a bit too hot-headed... but capable of understanding." He responded, a smile gracing his face. "Just like your mother..." With that, he opened the door, stepped through, and closed the door behind him. Midoriko was about to say something, but decided not to, and she closed her eyes, drifting off. Reminiscence Tereya would've gladly bought a scalpel in order to rip out a piece of her own brain at the moment. She lay on her surprisingly comfortable bed in one of the rooms, hands behind her head, and her legs crossed in a rather lady-like manner. Gone was the expression of usual skepticism and annoyance, but rather a thoughtful and slightly saddened look as she stared at the ceiling. As if to continuously torture her, her mind played back to the point where she had told the resistance team about her backstory with her husband. It wasn't her husband she was thinking about. It was Smirnov Seishou. He had been the one to take her up before death could claim her. He was the one to raise her as his own, as a father, a brother, and a mentor. He had been the one to teach her the way of swordsmanship, one of the reasons she had gotten as strong as she was. But in the end, all she had really done for him in return was get married and run away with her husband, as well as her brother behind. Guilt swelled slowly within her, and she let out a soft groan as she leaned onto her side, trying to force it out of her mind. There was a knock her door and Ahatake's voice sounded. "Tereya. You up?" Immediately, Tereya snapped out of it, sitting up in her bed. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance, and a scowl fitted her place. All of it replaced the previously thoughtful look she had before. "Yeah..." Was all she said in reply, pulling her legs up so that she could sit on the bed fully. Ahatake opened the door and was slightly taken aback by her scowl, his dark eyes widening slightly. "You mad about something?" Tereya scoffed, folding her arms across his chest. "I'm fine, big boy. But thanks for asking." She said immediately, allowing herself to collapse back on her bed. "Just checking to make sure you're still alive." Ahatake replied. "So what exactly where you thinking about anyway?" For a moment, Tereya remained silent, refusing to look at her husband. She really didn't like showing these moments in front of other people, especially when she was supposed to be tough. But, then again, she had shared so much with this man. It would be impossible to hide anything from him now. She took in a deep breath, before answering reluctantly. "...my brother." "Your bro- Oh yes, Smirnov." Ahatake clapped his fist into his hand. "I forgot about him. We haven't talked to him in a long time." "Ever since I told them about us..." Tereya spoke quietly, using a level-headed tone. "He hasn't stopped pecking at my mind. I can't help but wonder how the guy's doing, where he is, or if he's even alive..." Once again, her expression, as well as her tone, had converted to a thoughtful and slightly saddened outfit. "Hmm..." Ahatake looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well...we could pay him a visit." "...how the hell're we gonna do that?" "Trans-dimensional travel isn't that hard for me." Ahatake laughed. His laughter, however, seemed to sour his wife's mood even more. "Sure..." She muttered, unable to bring any enthusiasm in her voice. "I guess we could pay him a visit..." She allowed herself to sit up and stand on the ground, dusting herself off. "I'm thinking we bring Aoi and Kyuui, since they've never met him before." Oh, why did he have to bring up the option of taking even more people? It was already hard enough predicting how she would react upon seeing her brother again. If she showed weakness, it would be right in front of her family. That, she could never bear on her conscious. On the outside, the woman simply chose to remain silent against his statement. "Is something wrong?" "....bring 'em if you want. I don't care." "Alright." Ahatake said, and he walked out, and walked back in less than two minutes, Aoi and Kyuui in tow. Kyuui herself seemed slightly irritated, though she hid it well. "What is it, Ojii?" She asked, eyes drifting over to her grandmother. "We're going to meet your grandmothers brother." Ahatake told her. All irritance faded into surprise. She turned to look at her grandfather incredulously. "Really? There's another member of the family?" She asked, a grin growing on her face. "This'll be fun!" Aoi grinned. "When do we go?" "Right now actually." Ahatake drew his blade. "I've been testing this out and it seems I can use this in sealed state as sort of a Senkaimon." Ahatake's blade glew black and he swung it down, creating a large, wide garganta. "Yes!" Kyuui cheered, obviously excited. She could see the Human World clearly again, feeling a sense of nostalgia go through her. "We're going back to our first home!" However, she stopped a second afterwards to think. "....sort of." Ahatake laughed. "Hope you two have good reishi control." Ahatake said as he jumped into the Garganta and a pathway, dark and black, formed under him. Tereya, following his lead, leaped in after him. And, well... given her ability, she was easily able to control her reishi in order to make a solid path for her grandchildren to follow. Kyuui wasted no time in doing so. Aoi quickly followed, creating her own path, which was clear as crystal, quite different from Ahatake's. "Let's roll!" Ahatake said and started running. Reunion On the outside, it looked like a monument more than anything. The walls were covered in scattered masses of moss, lacking in paint quality and overall beauty. The porch was practically covered in dust, and scuffled footstep marks were the only signs that anything lived in it. It stood tall, and yet at the same time, it seemed as if it was going to fall apart at any minute. However, the inside was a different story. It was rather clean and tidy, simple and comfortable. The quality of the rooms were middle-class compared to the likes of a rich mansion. There was nothing radical that stood out, nothing to draw visitor's attention or draw them away - it was just right. At least, if you were the person living in it. That very person was lying on the couch, eyes closed, and hands behind the head in a comfortable manner. His short silver hair was slightly scattered, but not unkempt. He was wearing an orange and blue suit-like outfit, with a blue scarf around his neck. On his face were a pair of glasses, though it was strange why he would even keep them on while asleep. There was movement in the house however. A young, blonde haired girl was flitting through, picking up objects and placing them on the correct shelf or dashing into the kitchen where a delicious smell was wafting through. All in all, the place was peaceful. When she passed by him, the man opened one eye and looked in her direction. A smile of amusement was on his face as he watched her work. "Mizuko..." He spoke, a deep Russian accent in his voice. "You don't have to do all this. I myself was getting to it." Yet, he made no move to stop her. She smiled. "Sorry, Smirnov-san." Her own voice was soft and quiet, though it was very much audible. "Cleaning is something I can't help but do." "All right, dear." He relented, though he allowed himself to sit back up. "Just don't overwork yourself, all right? Last thing I need is someone comatose all over the clean floor." He joked. She laughed, the sound resembled that of a soothing bell. "Just stay put. Your meal is nearly ready." She flitted back into the kitchen "And she's not even my wife yet..." A soft sigh came from Smirnov's lips, and he allowed himself to stand on his own two feet. He began to relax his own muscles, gripping one arm and working it out to get the feeling back into it. As he did so, he closed his eyes in thought. How long had it exactly been since he had resorted to this kind of training again? He didn't keep track of the time anymore... at least, not when his sister had left him. With her gone, he was once again free for the moment, free to relax in his own little world. And that bored him. He missed her terribly, though he would never express it outwardly. Her cocky attitude, her violent bloodlust, and her carefree spirit was something that made him proud to be her brother. A thoughtful look crossed his face, memories of before flashing into his mind. Outside, part of the sky shattered and Ahatake jumped out, landing neatly on the ground and was soon followed by Tereya, Kyuui and Aoi. "Whew!" Ahatake sighed. "I forgot it was a little harder to breath here. Not much reishi in the air." Tereya rose up, dusting herself off. "You remember where the guy's house is, don't you?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow as she looked around. "I can practically smell the guy's reiatsu from here." "Me too." Ahatake replied. "Not easy to forget." "I feel two different reiatsu." Aoi said. "Both in the same place." A grin crossed Tereya's face. "The loner finally got some company, I suppose!" She said confidently, hiding her nervousness. "Betcha it's a maid to spruce up that old haunt of his." Ahatake laughed. "Well this will be interesting." He said as he started to walk in the direction of the reiatsu signals. "So...Obaa-san..." Kyuui brought herself to question, walking up beside her grandmother. "What's your brother like?" Tereya shrugged lightly. "Last time I saw him, he was nothing but a light-hearted wuss. One thing I know about him is that he doesn't change much over the years, even in our younger days..." "Is he strong?" Aoi asked, curiosity in her eyes. Tereya snorted. "Doubt it. He got his ass whooped by Ahatake the last time they fought." "But Ahatake-jii is stronger than most people." Aoi pointed out. "Not to mention he had trouble with a Lieutenant-level Shinigami." Tereya added, as an afterthought. "Maybe he's gotten stronger?" Ahatake suggested from up front. "Yeah, right." Tereya rolled her eyes. "That slouch rarely does much of anything when he's alone. Then again, whoever's with him's probably making him do something to pass the time." "Maybe." Ahatake said as they reached a building and took in its sight. Kyuui regarded it with slight skepticism. "Not as large as our house..." She remarked, wrinkling her nose at the moss on the walls. "Does anyone actually live here?" "Yeah. Both reiatsu are inside o' that building." Tereya responded. She dared to walk up the steps to the front porch. "And trust me; I recognize a house I've been living in for most of my childhood." Ahatake knocked on the door and blonde woman from earlier, Mizuko, answered the door. "Hello?" She asked, taking in the sight of the Kurosaki group. Ahatake stood back. "Tereya, this is all you." "Gee, thanks..." Tereya answered, rather sarcastically, before turning towards the woman. For a moment, she eyed the woman intensely, before she stated calmly. "My brother lives here. I'd like to see him." Mizuko looked skeptical. "Your brother?" She turned to inside the house. "Smirnov-san! Someone calling herself your sister is here, along with three others!" "...hm?" A voice called out from inside of the house. Tereya scowled, folding her arms across her chest. "What's her name, did you get it?" "The man with her called her Tereya!" "....I'll be right over." It wasn't too long, before his figure came to Mizuko's side, and he looked over the figures briefly. He cocked an eyebrow upon seeing his scowling sister, then at the rest of them-- --until Tereya promptly socked him in the face, annoyance finally snapping. "Don't act like you don't remember us, you motherfucker!" She snapped, showing no remorse even as he collapsed on his back with a THUD. "....ow...." "Tereya-baa-chan!" Aoi cried out. "Why did you do that?" Mizuko was checking to make sure Smirnov was alright, all the while scowling in Tereya's direction. However, it seemed as if the blow hadn't affected him much. He wore a rather annoyed, yet content look on his face as he lay sprawled on the ground for a minute. "Yep..." He muttered. "That's you all right, sis." Calmly, he got back up. "I recognize that punch anywhere..." This made Tereya smirk. "Glad you do. Maybe if you visit more often, I'd be glad to enlighten you." She said tauntingly, glad that she didn't act all emotional upon first seeing him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kyuui hiding a little behind Ahatake. Ahatake ushered Kyuui out from behind him. "Yo Smirnov." He said, grinning widely, his eyes on the girl however, who looked like she wanted to rip Tereya's throat out. "How's life been treating ya?" "Better than most, I suppose." Smirnov muttered. His eyes weren't too unfocused, either, for he saw Tereya get a devilish grin on her face upon seeing the murderous glare in her direction. "This is Mizuko--" He stopped, however, when Tereya marched right up to the woman. "What're you staring at?" She asked, pointing a thumb towards herself. "I don't care what kind of hanky-panky shit you show, but that's how I'' show my affection." "I'd advise you not to do that again as long as you are in my presence." The blonde warned her, as she drifted back into the house, beckoning them all. "Or what?" Tereya mocked, even as she stepped in. "You gonna give me a ''spanking, Mom? I don't think so." As Smirnov returned to his sitting position on the couch, Tereya immediately flopped down right beside him. "'Sides, he can vouch for me. Right, Smir?" Smirnov frowned, looking away wryly. "You're not dragging me into this." He muttered, earning an indignantly surprised look from his younger sister. "'Specially when both sides are two women." Ahatake chuckled. Mizuko ignored Tereya and went into the kitchen. Ahatake then took Aoi and Kyuui was ushered them over to Smirnov. "Smirnov these are mine and Tereya's grandchildren. Introduce yourselves." "Hello Smirnov." Aoi said smiling brightly. "I'm Aoi Kurosaki." "Nice to meet you, sir..." Kyuui said gently. "Kyuui Kurosaki." She raised her small hand, which was in turn grasped by his. It looked quite humorous - the man's rather intimidating build practically consumed her entire hand! She blushed slightly out of embarrassment, regretting offering the handshake immediately. But, thankfully, the man let go before she had a chance to. "Tereya was missing you Smirnov, so we decided to drop by and let the kids meet you." Ahatake explained. Tereya's eyes widened, and she immediately turned away from her rather amused brother. "Oh, really?" He asked, looking at the back of Tereya's head. She scoffed, though a blush was spreading across her own cheeks. "He doesn't know what the fuck he's talkin' about..." She muttered stubbornly. "Yes I do." Ahatake said grinning, sitting down on the nearest sofa. "I know more than you all think I do." "It's all right, sis..." Smirnov himself grinned, scooting closer to Tereya. "I know how panicked you get..." Daringly, and much to her shock, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. "--whenever your big brother's not around to protect you." Tereya could feel a vein threatening to pop in her forehead, one of her eyes twitching. "Do you want to get hit again?" She threatened. "Only if it's from you, my dearest sister." Tereya rolled her eyes in response, but didn't carry out on her threat. The embrace was far too comfortable for her liking, and so she found herself allowing to rest in it. "Though..." A smirk came across her own face. "Let me guess. That stiff of a girl is your wife'?" The blunt statement immediately caught Smirnov off guard. He jerked his arm away. "Huh?" Was a dumbfounded response. Tereya looked at him knowingly. "C'mon. You've been working out, haven't you? I could practically feel the muscle on my neck, big guy!" Now it was Smirnov's turn to scowl at her, arms folded across his chest as if attempting to hide them. "Don't pester him Tereya-baa-chan." Aoi said earnestly. "You're making him uncomfortable." "You've been working out for your beloved, haven't you?" Tereya teased. "She is ''not my wife." "I can tell you're lyyyyyiiiing...." Kyuui giggled at the spectacle. Despite what had happened at the porch, they seemed just like brother and sister in every way. Though... she barely looked anything like him... and their personalities contrasted from each other quite heavily... the silver-haired girl looked thoughtful for a moment. Anything anyone might have said at the moment was interrupted by Mizuko walking in from the kitchen, with a tray of numerous plates. "Smirnov-san. Your meal is ready. If the rest of you would like to eat, follow me." She beckoned them again and walked into the left room. The smirk on Tereya's face was slowly starting to grate on Smirnov's nerves. He slowly stood up, huffed at her, then turned to follow Mizuko in the direction of the door. Kyuui allowed her head to turn towards her family. "Do you think that they really are...?" She questioned. "Not sure." Ahatake replied. "Only thing I am sure of is there is food in the next room!" He quickly followed after Mizuko and Smirnov, Aoi hot on his heels. When Tereya trailed after him, Kyuui stood up and did so as well, still thinking about it. The room they had walked into was a very decorative dining room. Chandeliers on the ceiling, long table with white table cloth and wooden chairs with plush seating. Mizuko was already laying the varying trays on the table, which had foods varying from European cuisine to standard Japanese food. Aoi and Ahatake's faces both lit up like children on Christmas. "Well, I can safely say you've done a good job of cooking, Mizuko." Smirnov commented. "What'd you do, look all of this up in a cultural book?" Mizuko nodded. "Yes." She said, smiling in his direction. "Once I read the recipes it wasn't that difficult to make." She took a seat next to Smirnov, while Ahatake and Aoi sat down as well and began to reach for everything they could. Tereya and Kyuui were more dignified in their approach, sitting down calmly and looking at the selection first. Smirnov returned the smile as he took his own seat. "Well, you did real good." Moving forward, he planted a shameless kiss on her lips; brief, but expressing of his current emotions at the moment. Then, he broke away, working out his hands before fixing his own plate. Her face was slightly pink as she reached for her own food, and Aoi giggled. Ahatake took his first bite and smiled. "This is delicious." Ahatake said, looking up at Mizuko. "You're a good cook Mizuko." "Thank you Ahatake-san." She said, taking a sip of her drink. After taking a bite herself, Tereya closed her eyes in content, before finally relenting. "Ok, you're pretty good, I admit it..." She said in compliment, before settling right into the meal. Kyuui herself nodded rather happily and readily in agreement. Aoi bit into her own food as well. "She is good. Much better than the food back at that base." Tereya grinned innocently. "Sure she isn't your wife?" "Oh, give it a rest!" "I am not his wife.." Mizuko told Tereya. "Not yet, although I am as good as his wife." "Not saying I have a wife..." Smirnov added immediately, fearing for the rest of them to take it the wrong way if he didn't interrupt. "Well I think you guys'd make a great couple." Aoi said cheerfully. "Not sure why, just a feeling I get." "C'mon, kid, it can't be more obvious!" Tereya said in exasperation. "They just kissed in front of us!" That made Kyuui blush a little out of embarrassment she felt for the two. Morality At The Dinner Table Aoi chucked a bit of rice in Tereya's direction. "Oh yeah, Uncle Smirnov, your sister died recently." In a humorous moment, Tereya opened her mouth and caught the rice with her teeth, and then commensed to eating that. If he hadn't been distracted on what Aoi had said, Smirnov would've laughed. Instead, he cocked an eyebrow at the young girl. "What do you mean died?" He questioned. "She's right here, isn't she? And I remember only having one sister in the family." "She was stupid and killed a bunch of officers, only to get shot." Aoi said casually. It was clear Tereya's death didn't bother her at all anymore. Tereya glowered at her. "First off, I didn't die. I was put in a fucking coma. Dead would've meant I would be long gone from the Soul Society by now. Secondly..." She raised her utensil to point at Aoi. "Who the hell are you calling stupid? I'll tell you what's worse... getting arrested because you couldn't find yourself a job!" Aoi was about to respond, but Ahatake interrupted her. "You really think being arrested is worse than death...or any comatose variation of it?" "Yes! Being arrested means you have to be someone's bitch. They get to push you around, scream at you, and beat you like a fucking dog!" Tereya countered with earnest. "In death? Tch, you don't have to worry about people nagging you, your personal problems, or whatever. Just sleep your ass off, just like as if you were back in your mother's gut." Ahatake sighed. "I'd much rather you be arrested than dead." He said, swallowing white rice slowly. "Sadistic bastard." Tereya replied, smirking. "No." Ahatake replied, his eyes swiveling to her. "Arrested you'd be alive. And we could always come see you on Visitor's Day." He added, grinning. A small sneer came across Tereya's face. "Oh, really? Could you sleep at night knowing there's a chance I'm behind bars, tortured, beaten, raped by other inmates, as well as the guards? If being alive meant that you'd have to live with that kind of shit, it's better to be dead." Ahatake shuddered for a moment. "Maybe you're right." He shook his head, the left bang over his eye moving more like a sword. "Why do you have the ability to paint such gruesome mental pictures?" "I've been in a gruesome physical picture." Tereya said bitterly. "Or have you forgotten?" "Not in the slightest." Ahatake replied, remembering when Tereya recounted her past. Aoi and Kyuui remembered as well, and they shuddered. "Ahem..." Smirnov took the time to clear his throat, in an effort to interrupt the rather morbid conversation. "As interesting as this conversation is, some of us are still actually eating..." He muttered in a tone of morbid humor of his own. Aoi nodded fervently. Mizuko did not seem to bothered, as she was continuing to eat. "But, anyway, with all of this talk, surely this can't be going on in the Soul Society..." Smirnov continued, looking on at the Kurosaki family. "What's been going on? Did you guys move?" "Yes." Ahatake removed. "Our daughter wanted to be closer to her previous love interest and me being me, I didn't refuse her. So we moved to the little known Yuurei Oukoku." "And?" "Well suffice to say that the problems started the moment we got there. Discontent with the government and all that." "Oh..." Smirnov took a moment to think, setting his eating utensil down on the table. "So, basically that discontent erupted into violent protest, seeing as my sister "died" by their hands." He deduced. "Am I right?" "Yes, but Tereya was the cause of the violence." Ahatake replied. An indignant growl escaped Tereya's lips. "Are we going to start playing the blame game on me now?" She snapped, glaring at her husband. "For fucking out loud, this dissenting shit was way before we even came into the picture!" "True." Ahatake agreed. "Started with me and my disagreeing with those two guards on the coast." "Ahah, no." Tereya bit out harshly, still furious over the fact that she had been called stupid as well as burdened with the blame of starting it all. "It started when the citizens already living here got sick of the shit the government was throwing at them and decided to do something about it. Juushin and his ragtag team of rebels started this, not us. Our coming over here was just the catalyst those guys needed in order to start the war." "Ok ok." Ahatake replied. "Touchy." "Get your facts straight, motherfucker, before you open your mouth." Tereya scolded, finally turning away from him and crossing her arms across her chest. Thankfully, she was done already before she had performed the little outburst. Otherwise, she probably would've lost her appetite immediately. Mizuko looked at them both with wide, surprised eyes. "Excuse me, but are you two really married?" Tereya snorted. "Yeah. Difficult to believe, isn't it?" "Very much so." Mizuko replied. "I get the feeling you don't feel all that much attached to Ahatake-san at the moment." "Oh, you read minds too? How on Earth do you do it?" was Tereya's sarcastic reply, rolling her eyes. Mizuko smiled calmly. "I do not read minds. It's your attitude." "I was being sarcastic, moron. I'm fully aware that I'm a little..." Tereya trailed off, expression looking thoughtful for a moment. "Uhm..." "Bitchy?" Smirnov supplied helpfully. "....sure. Why not? Let's go with that." Ahatake chuckled. "I get used to her attitude. It's one of the many qualities I've learned to enjoy about her." "Hmph." Tereya muttered. Mizuko looked up at Ahatake "Ahatake-san, I've been meaning to ask. What exactly are you?" "What do you mean?" Ahatake asked curiously. "Your eyes...and your foul spiritual pressure..they're all akin to a Hollows." She pointed out, sipping her wine slowly. "I'm a Xiāochú, but I'd identify as a Hollow more than anything else." Ahatake explained, eating a piece of barbecued meat. Tereya allowed herself to smirk, anger subsiding. "Sure that wasn't me?" She piped up, looking over at her husband. "You are definitely a Hollow." Ahatake agreed. "But a former mentor of mine said I was more Hollow-like than Shinigami, and I am finding it hard to breathe in this world, the latter is definitely a Hollow-like trait." "I suppose you're not one who gets used to the air immediately, then." Tereya said, cocking her neck to the side in order to stretch it. "I lived here most of my life, and I don't find it hard breathing... and considering the fact you just said I was "definitely a Hollow"..." Ahatake laughed. "True..and this problem never did present itself before. Maybe I am just becoming more Hollow-like." Ahatake added. "Maybe you are..." At this time, Tereya started to stretch a little bit. "Well, I think it's time we head back. Juushin's going to go crazy if he finds out four of his little fighters went missing for unexplained reasons." Ahatake sighed. "True. You two ready to go?" He asked Aoi and Kyuui. "I guess." Aoi, who had several empty, eaten-off-of plates stacked up. "Yeah..." Kyuui was in the same state, picking herself off of the chair and planting her feet on the ground. "We're ready to go!" Aoi hopped out of her chair and turned to look at Mizuko. "Thanks for the meal." She said smiling brightly. "Of course." The blonde smiled right back. "Just in case you want to start visiting, Smir..." Tereya walked over to her brother, leaned over, and whispered a few words in his ear. His expression was rather bemused as he listened closely. After a brief moment, she pulled away, walking calmly towards the door. "Don't get yourself into too much trouble." She warned, standing by the door. "Especially when you're coming over." A sly smile cross Smirnov's face. "Don't worry... I won't." Ahatake drew his sword again. "We can leave from here." He cut it down and a garganta formed on the door, wide and dark. Tereya wasted no time in jumping in first. Kyuui herself followed, knowing better than to follow in Ahatake's darkened reiatsu path. Ahatake jumped in next and then Aoi. "See ya later Smirnov." Ahatake said grinning. Smirnov gave a brief nod to him, a clear sign of respect. "See ya, Kurosaki." He replied calmly. The End